An insert molding or in-mold process has been used as a method for decorating surfaces of various molded materials.
Such methods are used to integrate heterogeneous or different-colored plastics, or other parts (e.g., metal, a cable, a printed circuit board, a magnet, etc.) within a mold. Conventionally, molding has been carried out by injecting a molding material into the mold after preparation of a decorative sheet. However, such methods can damage the surface of the decorative sheet due to high temperature upon injection of the molding material, and have a limit in expression of various three-dimensional textures.
To protect a print layer, a conventional decorative sheet has been manufactured by applying a hard coating composition to a prepared product and curing the composition with ultraviolet light. However, since the hard coating composition is applied by spraying, it entails environmental problems and a limit in expression of colors.
Therefore, there are needs for a decorative sheet for decorating a surface of a three-dimensional molded material, a method for manufacturing the same, and a method for decorating the surface of the molded material using the same, which can ensure improved adhesion and low defect rate for various shapes of the molded material.